The present invention relates to a device for binding sheets in a pack, and to a bound bundle.
As is known, packed sheets with holes along one edge of the pack are bound using substantially tubular binding devices comprising an elongated, substantially C-section spine portion, and a number of curved tongues formed integrally with the spine portion and spaced to form an elastic comblike structure. Each tongue is inserted inside a respective (preferably rectangular) hole in the pack and through the pack so that a respective end portion rests on an inner surface of the spine portion to firmly connect and bind the sheets into a bundle.
Known binding devices of the above type have a number of drawbacks, including the following:
the elongated spine portion projects frontwards and laterally from the bundle, so that the bundle is often difficult to shelve or place alongside other bound bundles;
binding devices of different sizes, in particular with elongated spine portions of different shape and width, are required for binding bundles of different thickness;
writing or printing is not normally possible on the spine of the bound bundle, by the spine being defined by the outer surface of the spine portion, which is curved and made of plastic material;
the binding device (being made of plastic material) must be detached from the packed sheets when disposing of, e.g. burning, the bundle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for binding packed sheets, designed to eliminate the drawbacks of known devices.
According to the present invention, there is provided a binding device of the type described in claim 1.
The present invention also relates to a bound bundle of the type described in claim 16.